Ratchet-head and lever therefor.



P. H. GRIMM & F. S. DHOOG-E.

BATGHET HEAD AND LEVER THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1909.

Patented, Mar. 21', 1911.

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BY WJQ WITNESSES.-

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UNITED SIATE$ PATENT QFFICE.

PHILIP H. GRIMM AND FRANK S. DHOOGE, 0F ASHLAN'D, WISCONSIN.

RATCI'IET-I-IEAD AND LEVER THEREFOR.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PHILIP H. GRIMM and FRANK S. Drrooen, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Ashland, in the count-y of Ashland andState of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRatchet-Heads and Levers There for; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in ratchet headsand operating levers therefor and our object is to provide a lever whichmay be quickly applied to use in connection with a ratchet head of ajack screw.

A further object is to provide a ratchet head formed in sections on ajack screw, and provided with oppositely disposed teeth whereby thescrew portion may be rotated in either direction.

A further object is to provide means for normally holding the lever inengagement with the ratchet head.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application,Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of our improved jack,and, Fig. 2 is a sectional view as seen on line 22 Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in which simi lar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the baseof a jack screw, which may be constructed in the usual or any preferredmanner and provided with a central opening 2, which is threaded part-wayof its length to receive the threaded portion 3 of the screw proper 4.

Attached to the upper end of the screw 4 is a ratchet head 5, which headis provided with a circumferential groove or channel 6, thereby dividingthe peripheral face of the head into two spaces, the teeth 7 on theupper face being opposed to the trend of the teeth 8 on the lowersection, for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

In order to apply leverage to the screw 41, to raise or lower the same,we provide a lever 9, one end of which is provided with a head 10, whichhead likewise terminates in curved prongs 11 and 12, the prong 12 beingpivotally attached to the head 10, so that the lever may be readilyapplied around Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 20, 1909.

Patented Mar. 21., 1911.

Serial No. 491,033.

that portion of the screw 4: between the sections of the head 5.

The prong 12 is held in proper relationship with the prong 11 by meansof a spring 13, one end of which is fixed to the head 10, while theopposite end thereof is bowed and presses against the outer face of theprong 12. The free ends of the prongs 11 and 12 are outwardly curved, sothat by placing the ends of the prongs in the groove 6 and directingpressure on the lever, the prong 11 will swing outwardly on its pivotand permit the screw to pass between the prongs, the spring 13 causingthe prong 12 to again move inwardly as soon as the screw has ontered therecess 14: formed between the prongs 11 and 12. The head 10 is alsoprovided with a tooth or pawl 15, which will engage the teeth 7 when theface of the head containing the tooth 15 is turned upwardly and willengage the teeth 8 when the face of the lever is reversed, the teeth 7being so formed as to cause the screw 4: to ascend when the tooth 15 isengaged therewith and the lever swung to the left and will likewisecause the screw to descend when the head 10 is reversed and the levermoved in the opposite direction.

Should the jack screw be so positioned that a full swing of the lever 9could not be accomplished, the swinging of the lever in reverse movementwill cause the tooth 15 to ride over the tooth or teeth with which it iscooperating, this action successively forcing the lever endwise as itrides over the teeth, the spring 13 yielding sufficiently to permit ofthe longitudinal movement of the lever. In this manner a ratchet effectis accomplished and the lever can be rapidly swung back and forth tooperate the screw, and it will be readily seen that when it is desiredto reverse the rotation of the screw or re move the lever fromengagement therewith, an outward lengthwise pull on the lever 9 willcause the prong 12 to swing away from the prong 11 and provide a spacefor the passage of the screw.

In operation, the jack screw is placed below the object to be lifted andadjusted until the upper end thereof engages said object, when the freeends of the prongs 11 and 12 are entered in the grooves 6 and forcedinwardly until the screw 1 enters the recess 14:, the face of the head10 containing the tooth 15 being placed upwardly. This operation bringsthe tooth in engagement with the'teeth 7, when pressure is applied onthe lever 9' and'the screw 4 turned tothe left and if the space is notsufiicient to permit of the full rotation of the lever 9, the leverismoved forwardly its fullfdistance and then swung in the oppositedirection tended downwardly, which will result in turning the screw 4 inthe opposite direction by swinging the lever, it being understood ofcourse that the lever is again engaged with the screw, after the facethereof is reversed to bring the tooth 15 into engagement with the teeth8. It will thus be seen that we have provided a leverage for V 7operating the screw in either direction and such as can be given aratchet action in its operation and one wherein the lever may be quicklyapplied to use or removed from engagement with the jack.

What we claim is A device of thecharacter described, comrisin a ratchethead havin a circumfer- 7 P b b ential' groove therein to form said headinto an upper and a lower section, said sections being provided withoppositely disposed teeth, a leverv having a headformed at one endthereof, said headbeingprovided with arcuately disposedprongs forengagement with said groove, one of said prongs being pivotally securedto said head and the other integral therewith, said head being alsoprovided with a tooth adjacent the inner ends of said prongs and aboutmidway thereof, 40

adapted for engagement with either set of teeth arranged on said ratchetmember, both of said prongs having their outer ends curved outwardly anda spring member fixed to said head and bowed to have engagement with andexert inward pressure upon said pivoted prong, whereby said prongs willfit snugly within the groove of said ratchet and the tooth on said leveradapted for engagement with the teeth on said ratchet, for the purposedescribed.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP H. GRIMM. FRANK s. DHOOGE.

Witnesses:

ANNA C. LAnsoN, W. S CA'rE *Gopiesof'this patent may be obtained forfive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

